Then Shawarma After
by DeadWizardGod
Summary: After the Battle of New York, nine Midgardians, three Asgardians, a Frost Giant and a wolf go out for food. They're tired and hurt but that doesn't mean they can't play a game and have some friends. One-shot, part two of Small Avengers.


No movie will ever include what happens after a battle, because its just not pretty. Warriors almost collapsed on top of each other because they had been running on adrenaline for the last couple of hours? Not a great set up for witty one liners. Heroes drenched in blood, sweat and tears because they had made a split second decision to get to the fight and couldn't exactly bring along a second outfit? Doesn't exactly look great on the big screen. Children protecting broken bones and torn skin while thinking of all the people that died that day? No one will pay to see that.

Of course, that doesn't mean none of those things happened.

Out of the six of them, only Howie and Lizzie had gotten into an actual set of clothes. Howie had his own clothes on, the loosest ones he could find. Lizzie was wearing a pair of Tony's tracksuit bottoms and a Stark Industries t-shirt. Kia and Sophie were still in their clothes from the battle, the elder wearing armour and the younger wearing black camo trousers and a SHIELD jacket. James had simply grabbed several blankets from the Stark Tower and bundled himself up, glaring out at them from the hole in his cocoon.

James was the only one not injured. The others had complained about this, until James pointed out that he wouldn't sleep properly for a month thanks to the loud roaring in his head. They shut up pretty quickly after that. Kia and Fen had the least wounds, being the only ones who had prior experience of battle. Kia's upper arms, free of armour had several cuts across them. She also had a black eye and a large scar along her chin. Fen' back and legs were covered in tint scars and his underbelly had a burn across it. Sophie's wounds were mainly from before the battle, burn marks and scars and two broken fingers on her left hand. In the actual fight she had received multiple lacerations from crashing through glass and a twisted ankle from the way she landed. Howie's left leg was still the worse wound he had, propped up on the chair next to him, once again wrapped in magic. He had bruising along his face and chest and was cradling his broken right hand against his chest. Lizzie, who's hair had been short anyway, had burnt off most of her bob, the back of her neck also supporting a burn. Underneath her trousers, her legs were covered in scrapes and she had her arm in a sling to support the collarbone she hadn't even realised was fractured.

They were knackered, all leaning either on the backs of their chairs or on the table in front of them, picking at the shawarma in front of them. Fen was under the table, lying on his side.

Lizzie swallowed her food and looked up at the people around her. 'Howie. Truth or dare?'

He nodded down at his leg, eyebrows raised. 'What do you think?'

'Okay. Question about you, or your dad?'

'Tony.' He said, through a mouthful of food. 'He's more interesting.'

Lizzie nodded, thinking. 'Okay then. Has your dad ever asked someone to marry him?'

Howie chuckled weakly, his eyes flickering to Tony on the other table. 'Oh yeah, twice. Once, when he was a teenager and thought he was madly in love and once last year.'

'Last year?' James said, poking his head out of the blankets slightly. 'To who?'

'Pepper.' Howie grinned, checking Tony wasn't listening. 'He was drunk and proposed. Had a ring and everything.'

'Why'd she say no?' Fen said from under the table.

'Mainly because he threw up a second later. Right, my turn. Barton, you or your parents?'

'Me. My parents are classified.' She grinned, leaning against James's side and pulling one of the blankets over her. He glared but didn't say anything.

'Alright then. Before today, had you ever killed anyone?'

Howie raised an eyebrow, ignoring the intensive stares he was getting from three of the people at the table. Sophie just shrugged, leaning forward and smirking.

'Yes.' She said, slightly enjoying the shocked looks the others gave her. 'I was six and my mama had taken me on a mission with her.'

The others all leant forward, Fen's head appearing as he sat up next to Kia.

'I hacked into the building she was infiltrating. It was the first time I had hacked somewhere from the outside and I didn't quite get rid of the tracer right. They sent two thugs to my location while mama was out. I got her spare gun from under the bed and shot them as soon as they walked into the door.'

They were all silent for a second, contemplating the thought of a six year old shooting two trained killers. Sophie, no longer finding her new friends' bewilderment entertaining, cleared her throat and looked up, glancing at Kia.

'Kia, you or Thor?'

'I'll go with dad.' Kia smiled warmly, trying not to judge.

'All right.' Sophie paused for barely a second. 'Why was he so upset when he couldn't lift that hammer of his?'

Kia raised an eyebrow. 'When was this?'

'Last April.' Sophie said, looking confused. 'The hammer landed in New Mexico and no one could lift it. When your dad tried, he seemed devastated, but, I guess, he lifts it fine now.'

'I don't know. I was in Vanaheim last April and I wasn't aware my father visited Midgard.'

'He didn't.' They all looked up, nodding slightly as Hel sat down, looking no worse for wear or even tired. Being Queen of the Dead in a warzone did have its perks. 'He was banished briefly, his power taken from him. That's why he couldn't lift the hammer, it didn't seem him worthy.'

'Why banish Thor?' Fen said, pressing against his sister's side. 'What did he do?'

'He tried to start a war on Jötunnheim. Now, what are we playing?'

Kia's lips pursed and she clearly wanted to ask more but she shook her head. 'A variant of truth or dare. We played on Alfheim once, remember. The choice is between answering a question about yourself or your parents.'

'Okay, whose go is it?'

'Mine.' Kia grinned, scanning the table. 'Lizzie, you or Steve?'

'Me.' She said, taking a bite of her pita. 'Don't actually know much about Steve.'

'Okay then. Classic question; who was the first person you kissed? Not counting family.'

Howie let out a low whistle, getting giggles from the other children. Hel shook her head at them, her hand on Fen's back. Lizzie's mouth dropped in a mock scandalised way, ruined by the girl still smiling while pulling the face.

'Adrian Jackson.' She said after a while, smiling to herself. Howie's brow furrowed as his head spun to look her way. She rolled her eyes, shaking her own head. 'I was seven. The guy was obsessed with my family, said my parents had saved his mum's life in some war and gramps served with granddad in the war. It was weird but he was quite sweet. When his family moved away he asked for a kiss. I was nice enough to oblige.'

'Well that was a boring story.' James said with a yawn. Lizzie pulled a face and he shrugged. 'Who was the second person you kissed?'

'Howie.' Lizzie said with a smirk. The boy in question snorted his drink, staring at her. 'I was nine, you don't remember?'

The red that spread across Howie's cheeks suggested he remembered very much. Lizzie grinned, leaning back in her chair.

'Alright, Jamie. You or Bruce?'

'Papa.' He said, eyes narrowing dramatically. 'I'm not telling you my secrets.'

'Whatever.' Lizzie said with a roll of her eyes. 'Let's see. Has your dad...ever been arrested for indecent exposure?'

The others all pulled faces and, at the other table, the parents froze, Steve tilting his head their way.

'What?' James said, the blankets falling off his head.

'You know, being naked in public.' Lizzie shrugged, realising all eyes in the restaurant were on her now. 'You lose your clothes when you transform, you can't say he never has.'

'Alright, strange question but fair enough.' He paused for a moment, ignoring the twelve people watching him intently. 'Yes, he had. Eight times I think.'

'Thirteen.' Bruce piped up, blushing furiously. 'I have a very extensive criminal record.'

'Really, Banner?' Tony said, grinning widely. 'Why so much nakedness?'

'It mainly happened when James was a kid.' Bruce shrugged, as the children dragged their seats over to the adults, all fourteen squashed around the small table. 'Cops seem to react badly to a naked man holding a child when he has no record of being a parent.'

James chuckled, leaning against his father. Bruce wrapped an arm around James' shoulders, grinning at the others.

'Your turn, buddy.'

James frowned, looking around at the others.

'Umm...Fen, I guess? No one's asked you anything so, you or your dad?'

'Ask me anything.' Fen said from between Hel and Loki. Both black haired Asgardians were gripping the wolf's fur as he tilted his head.

'I don't really know...never played this before.' James muttered, his lips thinning. 'Um...tell us about your siblings...I guess...'

He trailed off, Fen grinning at him. Fen winked, shaking his head. 'Invasive question.'

James stuttered, trying to take the question back but Fen, Hel and Loki all gave him the same look at once and he shut up, letting the youngest of the family speak.

'Well, Hel, Jormungandr and I are full siblings. Hel's the oldest, then Jorm then our half-brother Sleipnir, then me, Vali and Narfi quite close together. Jorm's prefered form is a giant snake and Sleipnir was born a horse with eight legs.'

He looked around to see if he should stop but the others all gestured for him to continue, all interested apart from Loki, Hel and Clint.

'Well, Narfi and Vali are ten, at least Vali is. Narfi died three years ago so he's stuck at seven.'

'Wait.' Natasha said, leaning forward, eyes narrowing. 'He died but he's still around.'

'He is my current heir to the netherworld.' Hel pointed out, her voice clipped. 'Prince of the Dead does give you some advantages.'

Fen nodded. 'I'm fifteen years old, Sleip is turning four hundred in November. Jorm's four hundred and twenty two- three in December, and Hel's eight hundred and seventy three.'

Steve choked on his drink, Lizzie patting his back with a laugh.

'Eight hundred?' He coughed, looking up at her. When she shrugged, he turned his gaze to Loki. 'How old does that make you?'

'I am one thousand and forty seven. Thor is only four years older.'

The rest of the table looked at the Asgardians's mouths hanging open slightly. Finally, Howie spoke up, talking slowly as if to get his head round the information.

'So Loki had a kid when he was two hundred but you waited until you were a thousand years old.'

'Yes.' Thor said, simply. 'I originally had no interest in starting a family but father insisted I had an heir before I could inherent the throne.'

'So if Kia's your heir, why did Loki inherit the throne when you were banished?' Clint said, picking at his food.

'What?' Sophie said, as the others all turned to look at Clint.

'What?' He said, looking up.

'How did you know that?' Natasha said.

Clint's brow furrowed. 'I don't know, how did I know that?'

Loki shrugged. 'When you attacked the Helicarrier, I tried to give you some knowledge of Thor's abilities so you wouldn't attack him head on. I may have given you more knowledge that I planned.'

Thor chuckled. 'And in answer to your question, its because Kia has no children herself. When my father's brothers died in the Jötunn wars, he decreed that no one could take the throne without their line already cemented. Loki has heirs, so he took the throne.'

There was silence for a few seconds, each person thinking something different. Fen shook his head, looking up at Loki.

'So Da, what's the worse prank you ever pulled?'

The whole table let out a breath none of them knew they had been holding, all glad for the distraction. Talking about Asgardian politics was confusing to say the least. It was difficult to match their new friends up with the idea of immortal Aesir, even if they did hold themselves as god.

'No choice for me?' Loki said, scratching his chin. His illusion was back on, the only injuries he has being the scrapes he got in the battle. 'Okay, then. Well I did manage to convince you and your siblings that because your mother was a frost giant, you couldn't be outside at midday on midsummer's day.'

'Wait, that's not true?'! Hel said, her eyes widening dramatically. Next to her, Fen was looking betrayed at their father. 'I've missed hundreds of midsummer parties because of that.'

'I can't believe you.' Fen said as the other children began to laugh at his shocked face. 'Does Jorm know?'

Loki nodded, grinning. 'Jorm lived in Jötunnheim for thirty years. I think he figured it out. Sleipnir thinks its hilarious you haven't yet.'

'Shut up.' Fen whined, talking to both his father and his friends. 'Ask another question.'

'Fine then.' Loki chuckled, winking across at his niece. 'Kia, you or Thor.'

'Me. I already answered one about dad.'

'Okay then. What's the worse lie you ever told Thor?'

Kia's smile dropped slightly, her eyes flashing at her uncle. Still giving him a stony gaze, she spoke slowly, the words conveying her annoyance with her uncle. 'Probably that I go out every other night to practice my swordplay.'

'So what do you do?' Hel said, head tilted. Thor's eyebrow furrowed as he watched his daughter, who just stared back at him.

'I go to the library and teach the apprentice there magic.'

Both Loki and Thor spluttered, for different reasons. Loki started complaining about her telling the secrets of magic to someone and Thor seemed to believe that his daughter was having some sort of affair with the librarian's apprentice.

'Okay. Stop.' Kia said, glaring at both of them. Her voice cut straight theirs and they quietened, staring at her, confused. 'Njal is my friend, nothing more. And he was already teaching himself magic so I'm just making sure he didn't burn down the library or something stupid. Now, can we continue with the game or are we going to keep arguing about something trivial?'

The brothers blushed, both nodding bashfully.

Kia rolled her eyes, turning to her eldest cousin, the only one who didn't seem completely shocked by what's going. 'Hel. Have you ever fallen in love with a dead guy?'

Hel smiled sweetly and Kia's face dropped slightly. There was nothing scarier than an undead goddess smiling _sweetly_. 'No, Kia. I have not. My turn then?'

They all nodded, most of them wondering how a simple game had descended into Asgardian politics. Most of them avoided Hel's eyes, the game having lost most of its enjoyment.

'Steve?' Hel said, smiling genuinely now. 'What's the weirdest thing about the future?'

Steve grinned back, eyes glinting mischievously. 'Well it's a toss up. Between Tony and Clint.'

'What?!'

Both men shouted, instantly, voices overlapping at they refuted what Steve said. The mood immediately lifted, Steve leaning back in his seat and putting his arm over the back of Hel's chair. Every started to laugh, talking over each other and smiling at each other. Lizzie winked at Howie as their guardians started arguing and Sophie nudged James awake when he started to drift off. Kia and Fen grinned at their new friends, ignoring the way their fathers were looking at them.

Movies might never show the aftermath of a battle but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It also doesn't mean that heroes cant have a good time when all the fighting is done.

* * *

 **A/N: The first little one shot of my Avengers-with-kids universe. There is another short story, two chapters this time, will be coming out in about a month, then I'll start uploading the version of Iron Man 3 that involves Howie.**


End file.
